Drum coupling automation robot and drum coupling automation method

Abstract

A drum coupling automation robot includes a robot, a robot arm attached to the robot, a coupler gripper connected to the robot arm, a force and torque sensor connecting one end of the robot arm to the coupler gripper and measuring force and torque applied to the coupler gripper, a vision sensor attached to the force and torque sensor, and a control circuit electrically connected to the robot, the robot arm, the coupler gripper, the force and torque sensor, and the vision sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drum coupling automation robot comprising:
 a robot; including a robot arm;   a coupler gripper connected to the robot arm;   an adaptation device including a force and torque sensor and connecting one end of the robot arm to the coupler gripper and configured to measure force and torque applied to the coupler gripper,   wherein the coupler gripper includes:   a body unit connected to one end of the adaptation device,   a finger configured to hold a portion of a coupler, wherein the coupler is provided with a coupler key code that is engaged with a drum key code provided with a drum hole of a drum,   a first roller engaged with the coupler key code of the coupler, wherein the first roller engaged with the coupler key code of the coupler is configured to rotate, and   a second roller engaged with a coupler nut provided with the coupler, wherein the second roller engaged with the coupler nut of the coupler is configured to rotate to fasten the coupler nut to the drum hole;   a vision sensor attached to the adaptation device; and   a control circuit electrically connected to the robot, the coupler gripper, the force and torque sensor, and the vision sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control circuit is configured to control the robot, and the coupler gripper based on visual information obtained from the vision sensor and a measurement value obtained from the force and torque sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the finger is provided in a pair, and   the pair of fingers are configured to:
 move up, down, left, and right, and 
 hold or release a part of the coupler. 
   
     
     
         4 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the control circuit is configured to:   insert the coupler into the drum hole based on the visual information;   adjust the first roller so that the coupler key code is fastened to the drum key code; and   adjust the second roller so that the coupler nut is fastened to the drum hole.   
     
     
         5 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the force and torque sensor is configured to transmit the measurement value of the force and torque generated in a process of gripping the coupler using the finger, in a process of detaching the coupler from the drum hole of the drum, or in a process of attaching the coupler to the drum hole of the drum, and   the control circuit is configured to further control movement of each of the robot, the robot arm, and the coupler gripper based on the measurement value of the force and torque sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the finger is provided in a pair,   the coupler gripper further comprises a pair of roller support units,   the pair of roller support units are attached to the pair of fingers, respectively, and   the first roller and the second roller are spaced apart from each other and attached to the pair of roller support units, respectively.   
     
     
         7 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the robot arm comprises a multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) robot arm.   
     
     
         8 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vision sensor comprises two or more vision sensors which are spaced apart from each other.   
     
     
         9 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the visual information comprises a shape, a position, and a direction of each of the robot, the robot arm, the drum, the coupler, and the coupler gripper.   
     
     
         10 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the adaptation device further comprises:   a damper and an elastic member between the robot arm and the coupler gripper, and   wherein the force and torque sensor is configured to measures the force and torque transmitted from the coupler gripper through the damper and the elastic member.   
     
     
         11 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the coupler key code and the coupler nut are exposed to the outside of the coupler so that engagement between the coupler key code and the drum key code is performed manually, distinct from automated engagement by the drum coupling automation robot.   
     
     
         12 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the robot comprises an autonomous mobile driving robot.   
     
     
         13 . A drum coupling automation method comprising:
 moving a drum coupling robot with a robot arm to a drum, wherein the robot arm is connected to a coupler gripper;   gripping a coupler using the coupler gripper;   inserting the coupler into a drum hole of the drum using the coupler gripper;   coupling a coupler key code of the coupler with a drum key code of the drum using the coupler gripper; and   fastening a coupler nut of the coupler to the drum hole using the coupler gripper.   
     
     
         14 . The drum coupling automation method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the drum coupling robot further comprises;   an adaptation device comprising: a force and torque sensor attached to a first end of the robot arm; and   a vision sensor attached to the adaptation device,   the coupler gripper is attached to the adaptation device, and   the force and torque sensor is disposed between the coupler gripper and the robot arm.   
     
     
         15 . The drum coupling automation method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the drum coupling robot further comprises a control circuit,   the vision sensor is configured to:   obtain visual information in one or more of moving to the drum, gripping the coupler, inserting the coupler, coupling the coupler key code, and fastening the coupler nut; and   transmit the visual information to the control circuit, and   the visual information includes a shape, a position, and a direction of each of the drum coupling robot, the coupler, and the drum.   
     
     
         16 . The drum coupling automation method of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the force and torque sensor is configured to, in one or more of gripping the coupler, inserting the coupler, coupling the coupler key code, and fastening the coupler nut, obtain a measurement value of force and torque applied to the coupler gripper; and   transmit the measurement value to the control circuit.   
     
     
         17 . The drum coupling automation method of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the control circuit is configured to:   receive the visual information and the measurement value; and   control the drum coupling robot based on the visual information and the measurement value.   
     
     
         18 . The drum coupling automation method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the coupler key code and the coupler nut are exposed to the outside of the coupler so that engagement between the coupler key code and the drum key code is performed manually, distinct from automated engagement by the drum coupling robot.   
     
     
         19 . A drum coupling automation robot comprising:
 a robot including a first robot arm and a second robot arm;   a first adaptation device connected to the first robot arm;   a second adaptation device connected to the second robot arm;   a first coupler gripper coupled to a first end of the first robot arm through the first adaptation device;   a second coupler gripper coupled to a second end of the second robot arm through the second adaptation device,   wherein the first adaptation device is disposed in a space between the first coupler gripper and the first end of the first robot arm and includes:   a fixed platform connected to the first end of the first robot arm;   a mobile platform connected to the first coupler gripper;   an elastic member connected to the fixed platform and the mobile platform;   a damper connected to the fixed platform and the mobile platform; and   a first force and torque sensor disposed in a space between the fixed platform and the mobile platform and configured to measure force and torque applied to the first coupler gripper, wherein the force and torque applied to the first coupler gripper is transmitted from the first coupler gripper to the first force and torque sensor through the damper and the elastic member, and   wherein the second adaptation device is disposed in a space between the second coupler gripper and the second end of the second robot arm and includes a second force and torque sensor configured to measure force and torque applied to the second coupler gripper;   two or more vision sensors attached to each of the first adaptation device and the second adaptation device; and   a control circuit connected to the robot, the first robot arm, the second robot arm, the first coupler gripper, the second coupler gripper, the first force and torque sensor, the second force and torque sensor, and the two or more vision sensors attached to each of the first force and torque sensor and the second force and torque sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The drum coupling automation robot of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the control circuit is configured to control the robot, the first robot arm, the second robot arm, the first coupler gripper, and the second coupler gripper based on information obtained from the two or more vision sensors and a measurement value of the force and torque obtained from each of the first force and torque sensor and the second force and torque sensor,   a coupler key code of a coupler and a coupler nut thereof are exposed to the outside of the coupler so that the coupler key code is manually engaged with a drum key code of a drum instead of the drum coupling automation robot, and   the robot comprises an autonomous mobile driving robot.